The 9th Meeting of the National Traders’ Welfare Board (NTWB) was held on April 10, 2026, at Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi under the chairmanship of NTWB Chairperson Sunil J. Singhi. Senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and representatives of national trader associations attended the session, which focused on regulatory reforms, inclusive trade policies, and digital empowerment for small traders and retailers.
Key discussions at the meeting
The Chairperson welcomed the passage of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, highlighting that the law will promote ease of doing business by removing criminal penalties for minor procedural lapses and replacing them with graded, non‑custodial enforcement mechanisms. The amendment, which amends 79 central laws and over 780 provisions across 23 ministries, is being presented as a measure to reduce compliance burden for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and traders.
In the area of digital empowerment, a detailed presentation was made by the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) team, outlining how the platform can help traders, especially small and medium businesses, access broader digital markets, logistics support, and payment solutions. The ONDC pitch emphasized the role of interoperable e‑commerce infrastructure in enabling price discovery, reducing customer acquisition costs, and integrating local shops into a pan‑India digital marketplace.
Board members were urged to carry these messages to trade bodies across India so that a wider spectrum of small traders can benefit from simplified compliance and digital‑commerce opportunities under current government initiatives.
Key highlights
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9th NTWB meeting in New Delhi.
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Chairperson welcomes Jan Vishwas Amendment.
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Amendment promotes ease of doing business.
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ONDC presentation on digital empowerment.
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Traders urged to adopt digital tools.